FROM   THE   LIBRARY  OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON.   D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED    BY   HIM   TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 


•J/J 


Mr.  Lemuel  Hedged 
SERMON 


O  N 


SINGING 


The  Duty  and  Manner  of  Singing  in  Chriflfan 
Churches ,  conjidered  and  illujirated ; 


IN    A 

SERMON 

PREACHED    AT    A 

SINGING     LECTURE 

IN 

W  A  R  IT  I  C  K, 

January  2$thy   1772. 

■>i  *        ■  1      ■  1      —  '■■     ■ mil       ■■■  1   ii 

By  Lemuel  Hedge,  A.M. 

Paftor  cf  the  Church  there. 
Publifhed    at  the  Requeft  of  the  Singers. 

Is  any    merry?  let  him  fing  Pfalms,  James  5.  13. 
I  will  fing  with  the  Spirit,  and  I  will  fing  with  the  Under- 
ftanding  alfo.     1.  Cor.  14.  15, 


B O    S    T    O    Ni 
PfUWTlft  w  RICHARD   DRAPER* 

MDCCLXXIf, 


<  $  x  ®  *  ©•  &  •  Sc  & St  ♦  X  •  x  #  > 


.teoo3»7eo««>oo9ac«oo{ 


The  Duty  and  Manner  of 
Singing  in  Chrillian  Churches, 
coniidered  and  illuflrated. 


JOB  38th  Chap.  7th  Verfe. 

When  theMornbig  Stars  fang  together,  and  ail 
tie    Sons  of  GOD  Jhouted  for   Joy. 

HOLY  Job,  tho'  he  is  faid  to  be  pef- 
feft  and  upright,  one  that  feared 
God,  and  avoided  that  which  is 
evil ;  tho'  he  was  a  pattern  of  patience,  and 
manifefted  great  refignation  to  the  divine 
will,  under  the  molt  grievous  and  uncom- 
mon trials ;  yet  the  hand  of  God  did  fome- 
times  fo  forely  prefs  him,  and  he  was  fo 
fcorched  with  the  vehement  heat  of  the 
furnace  of  affii&ion  into  which  he  was  caflr, 
that  like  Mofes,  he  fpoke  unadvifedly  with 
his  lips.  He  murmurs  at  the  difpenf^tions 
of  divine  Providence  towards  him,  and  is 
ready  to  charge  God  with   feverity  in  his 

A  3  dealings 


(    6    ) 

dealings  with  him.  For  this,  his  friends 
had  (harply  reproved  him,  and  Elihu 
in  an  efpecial  manner  had  fpoken  very 
clofely  and  pertinently  to  him,  in  order  to 
Convince  him  of  the  juftice  and  equity  of 
the  divine  condud}:,  and  to  filence  his 
murmurings,  and  bring  him  to  acquiefcc 
in  God's  providential  dealings  with  him  : 
But  all  to  little  purpofe  ;  dill  Job  is  uneafy 
and  unfatisfied  ;  till  at  laft  God  himfelf 
fpeaks  to  him  out  of  the  whirlwind,  and 
clofely  prefled  him  with  many  ferious  and 
weighty  qjeftions  in  this,  and  the  follow* 
jug  chapter. 

The  firft  queftion  that  God  put  to  him, 
to  humble  him  and  fhew  him  his  ignorance, 
was  concerning  the  creation  of  the  world, 
and  who  it  was  that  gave  it  its  regular 
form  and  ftru&ure,  v.  4 — 7  "  Where  waft 
thou  when  I  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
earth?  declare,  if  thou  haft  vinderftanding. 
Who  hath  laid  the  meafures  thereof,  if  thou 
knoweft  ?  or  who  hath  ftrctched  the  line 
upon  it  ?  Whereupon  are  the  foundations 
thereof  faftned  ?  or  who  laid  the  corner 
flone  thereof  ?"  At  the  laying  of  which 
corner-ftons,  "  the  morning  ftars  fang  to- 
gether, and  all  the  fons  of  God  fhouted  for 
joy/'  It  is  the  eternaljehovah  that  is  here 
pofiug  a  mortal  worm  with  thefe  queftions ; 

and 


,(     7     ) 

and  (as  we  might  juftly  expert)  the  lan- 
guage is  fublime,  the  expreflions  lofry,  and 
•  the  fentimeius  well  adapted  to  Jirike  con- 
viction into  a  repining  fufferer,  murmuring 
at  the  all-wife  conduct  of  his  Ivl^ker  :  q.  d. 
5  O  Job,  you  pretend  to  have  a  mighty  in- 

*  fight  into  the  counfels  ol  God  :  you  have 
4  made  a  great  figure  among  the  chi-'dren 
'  of  the  Eaft  ;  thou  fetteit  up  lor  an  oracle 

*  and    doft   pretend  to  cenfuro  the  ju(hce 

*  and^  equity  of  the  divine    proceedings— 

*  now  only  tell  me  where  thou  wait  when 
1  the  foundations  of  the  earth    were  laid, 

*  declare  how  it  came  to  be  fo  finely  {ram- 
1  ed,  fo  firmly  fixed,  \o  exatfly  proporti- 
4  oned,    and  Co  advantageouily   (ituated  ; 

*  If  you  are  fo  wife  and  understanding  in 
4  the  government  of  the  world  as  you  pre- 

*  tend  to  be,  you  doubtlefs  know  fomc- 
'  thing  about  the  formation  of  this  noble 

*  fabric  :  and  I  demand  of  you  to  tell  me 

*  where  you  was,  when  at  the  firft  appea- 

*  ranee  of  this  glorious  ftruflure,  the 
"  morning  ftars"  (truck  their  harmonious 
€  notes,  and  with  perfect  concord  chanted 
'  the  mod  melodious  longs,  in  praife  to  its 

*  great  Creator.  Was  you  then  prefentj. 
'  to  hear  the  fhouts  of  joy  among  ihe  Jqki 
1  of  God,  and  in  what  a  rapturous  manner 

*  they  applauded  the  work,  and  adored  die 

A  4  *  Workman  \ 


(    8    ) 

f  Workman  ?  Was  your  ear  charmed  tvith 
8  th$  heavenly  mufick  ?  and  did  you  join 

*  your  feeble    voice,    with    the    (homing 
c  miriads  that  extolled  my  name  upon  that 

•  occaflon  t* 

Thus  does  God  query  with  Job,  on 
purpofe  to  bring  him  to  a  fenfe  of  his  folly, 
in  finding  fault  with  His  providence  in 
governing  the  world,  feeing  he  was  not 
prefcnt  at  the  formation  of  it.  "  And  fincc 
"  God  did  not  confult  with  him  nrmaking 
u  the  world,  and  yet  it  is  well  made  ;  he 
"  need  not  exped  that  God  (hould  confult 
"  with  him  about  the  government  of  the 
*'  world,  and  yet  it  (hall  be  well  governed  t9 
And  therefore  it  became  him  and  all  others, 
chearfully  to  acquiefce  in  the  wifdom  of 
divine  providence,  and  not  to  murmur  at 
any  of  its  proceedings. 

Thus  you  fee  the  connexion  of  the  text 
•with  the  context,  and  what  was  the  defign 
of  God  therein. — -You  fee,  the  morning  flars^ 
(by  which  we  are  undoubtedly  to  under- 
stand the  angels)  are  bro't  in  finging  praife 
to  God  at  the  laying  of  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  ;  which  fuppofes  that  they  had  an 
exigence,  before  the  earth  was  regularly 
formed  and  fafhioned,  or  otherwife  they 
could  not  fing  together  upon  that  occafion. 
JVlofes  has  told  us  *  that  "  la  the  beginning 

Gocj 

f  Qen.  i.  *. 


(    9    ) 

God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth,"— 
the  angels  doubtlefs  are  included  in  the 
creation  of  the  former  ;  and  being  formed 
to  fing  their  Maker's  praife,  they  early 
began  that  bleffed  work,  for  which  they  are 
here  called  morning  ftars  2  and  carefully 
obferving  the  hand  of  God  forming  and 
fafhioning  this  terraqueous  globe,  and  mak- 
ing it  a  fuitable  habitation  for  man,  and 
knowing,  perhaps,  that  their  and  our 
Creator  would  "  rejoice  in  the  habitable 
parts  of  the  earth,  and  his  delight  would 
be  with  the  fons  of  men  ;"  as  they  faw  mat- 
ter, fo  they  wanted  not  a  difpofition  for 
praifing  God,  and  giving  to  him  the  glory 
due  to  his  great  name  therefor. 

The  latter  part  of  the  verfe,  in  which  it 
is  faid,  all  the  fons  of  God  fhouted  for  joy,  I 
fuppofe  to  be  only  exegetical  of  the  former: 
And  what  is  defigned  by  the  whole  verfe 
is,  to  (hew,  that  the  angelic  tribes  were  fo 
{truck  with  a  fenfe  of  the  infinite  majefty 
and  power  of  God  in  rearing  the  {lately 
ftrufture  of  the  worl  J,  that  they  all  with 
one  accord  expreiTed  their  joy,  and  glorifi- 
ed God  by  ofFerng  to  Him  their  melodious 
fongs  of  praife  and  thankfgiving. 

To  fing  praifes  to  God,  is  the  delightful 
employment  of  Heaven  ;  and  not  only  an- 
gels, 


(  &   ) 

.gels,  but  mm  are  capable  of  bearing  a  pint 
in  it  :  And  therefore  it  becomes  them,  in 
imitation  of  the  bleffed  fpirits  above,  to 
learn  to  tune  their  voices  in  a  manner  fait- 
able  to  offer  praifes  to  their  maker-— and 
while  they  are  in  this  jvorld,  to  begin  that 
blefled  work,  which  we  .hope  to  be  forever 
employed  in,  when  we  come  to  Heaven, 

Under  the  direction  of  this  text,  I  fiialj 
attempt  the  following  things— viz. 

I.  To  fliew  that  fingtng  praifes  to  God, 
is  a  duty  which  He  requires  of  all  his  ratio- 
nal creatures,  of  men  as  well  as  of  angels. 

II.  Say  fomething  as  to  the  manner  of 
performing  this  duty  :— and  then  conclude 
Tvith  addreffes  fuited  to   the  occafion. 

I.  I  am  to  fliew  that  Tinging  praifes  te 
God,  is  a  duty  which  He  requires  of  all 
his  rational  creatures,  of  men  as  well  as  of 
angels. — Every  rational  creature  that  has 
underftanding  enough  to  confider  and  con- 
template the  works  of  God,  and  obferve 
His  perfedions  and  attributes  difplayed  ia 
all  the  divine  operations,  are  under  moral 
obligations  to  praife  and  glorify  Him  there- 
for.    Indeed  the   very  defign  of  God  in 

forming 


(  II  ) 

forming  reafonable  creatures,  and  difcover- 
ing  his  perfections  to  them,  was  not  only 
that  He  might  communicate  happinefs  to 
them,  but  alio  that  they  might  glorify  Him ; 
i.  e.  adore  and  praife  Him   for  his   perfec- 
tions:     For  ivho/o   offer eth  .pralfe,   glorifieth 
me,  faith  God,  Pf.  50.  23,     There  is  fome- 
thing  of  the  divine  attributes  discovered  ia 
all  the  works  of  God,  whether  of  creation, 
providence,  or  grace :  And  according  as  God 
difcovers  himfelf  to  his  creatures,  (o  fliould 
their  acknowledgments  of  Him,  be.     And 
Hot  to  acknowledge  God  according  to  the 
difcoveries  he  makes  of  his  perfections  unto 
ps,  is  a  degree  of  atheifm  irfelf  :  It  is  in  a 
jTenfe  to  deny  that  He  is  poflcfTed   of  thofe 
perfections,   or   worthy  to   bef   praifed  for 
them.     Every  being  ought  to  be  acknow- 
ledged  by  others,    according  to  the   dif- 
coveries  that  are   made  of//  to   others; 
otherwife  It  is  denied  by  them  :  This  is  rea- 
fonable  and  fit  in  the  very  nature  of  things. 
And  fince  the  fupreme  Being  in  his  works 
has  difcovered,  unlimited  power,  unfearch- 
able  wifdom,    boundlefs  goodnefs,  fpotlefs 
holinefs,  and  inflexible  juftice,  every  rea- 
fonable  creature  is  in  duty  bound  to  praife 
Him  for  thefe  his  perfections,  according  to 
the  difcoveries  he  has,  or  might  have  had 
■pf  them. 

The 


{  ™  ) 

The  Pfalmifl:  fays,  *  AH  thy  works  pall 
fraife  thee,  O  Lord,  i.  e.  they  all  even  the  in- 
animate parts  of  the  creation  furnifh  rational 
intelligences  with  matter  for  praifihg  Him* 
In  this  fenfe  "the heavens  declare  his  glory, 
and  the  firmament  fheweth  forth  his  handy 
work."  And  the  "fun  and  moon,  and  all 
the  ftars  of  light,"  praife  Him  :  They  do  it, 
by  exciting  angels  and  men  to  that  blefTed 
work  ;  and  furnifhing  them  with  abundant 
matter  for  it.  And  when  inanimate  things, 
fuch  as  the  fun  2.nd  moon  and  fears,  are  faid 
to  praife  God;  it  intimates  that  there  is  much 
excellency  in  the  works  of  God,  that  if  they 
could  fpeak,  they  would  declare  and  fhew 
forth  his  praife  ;  even  as  when  the  difciples 
ofChrift  rejoiced  and  praifed  God  with  a 
loud  voice,  for  all  the  mighty  works  which 
they  had  feen,  faying,  f  Bleffed  be  the  King 
tlmt  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord :  Teace 
in  heaven  and  glory  in  the  higheji  ;  the  envi- 
ous Pharifees  did  not  like  fuch  mufick,  and 
faid  to  Chrift,  "  rebuke  thy  difciples  :"  But 
Chrift  anfwered,  "I  tell  you  that  if  thefe 
fhould  hold  their  peace,  the  Jlones  would 
immediately  cry  out."  So  here,  if  angels 
and  men  will  not  fing  praife  to  God,  For 
•  the  works  of  creation,  providence  and 
grace  ;  rather  than  God  fhould  not  have 
the  glory  thereof,  the  fun  and  moon   and 

ft^rs, 

*  Pfalra  **Iv.  jb.        f  Luke  xix.    35. 


(   w  5 

(far*,    would    all    break   out    iiito    joyful 
fangs  of  praifes  to  him. 

You  fee,  at  ihe  creation  of  the  work!, 
the  bleffed  angels  were  "  hymning  the 
eternal  Father,"  adoring  his  power,  wifdom 
and  goodnefs,  which  were  therein  difplay'd: 
fo  at  the  firft  appearance  of  the  new  creation, 
when  Chriftjefus,  the  corner-ftone  thereof 
was" laid,  then  did  thefe  "  morning  ilarsT' 
again  fing  together,  "  and  all  the  fans  of 
God  fhouted  for  joy."  No  fooner  was  it 
known  in  heaven,  that  the  eternally  be* 
gotten  of  the  Father,  appeared  in  a  mortal- 
form,  but  an  angel  is  ordered  with  fwifteft 
wing  to  convey  the  news  thereof  to  the 
humble  (hepherds,  who  were  with  earned 
expectation  *  waiting  for  the  confolation 
oflfrael."  Thefe  glad  tidings  offalvation 
were  ufher'd  in,  by  an  anthem  of  praife 
from  the  heavenly  hoft  ;  for  fuddenly  there 
was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly 
hojl,  praijing  God  and  faying.  Glory  to  God 
I  in  the  bigbeft,  and  on  earth  peace  >  good  will 
towards  men.  * 

Thus  we  fee  that  as  at  the  birth  of  the 
old,  fo  alfo  of  the  new  creation,  the  bleffed 
angels  tuned  their  harps  to  praife  their 
Creator.  And  it  is  well  worthy  to  be 
remarked  here,  that  altho*  neither  the  firft. 
creation  of  our  world,  nor  the  redemption 

*  LuJcs  in  13,  14.. 


C   «4  ) 

of  it  by  Jefus  Chrift,  was  defigned  parti- 
cularly for  the  benefit  of  the  angels,  but 
for  men  only,  yet  thefe  difinterefted  and 
benevolent  fpirits  rejoiced  in  it,  and  praifed 
God  for  it.  This  is  worthy  of  our  imita- 
tion :  and  let  us  learn  from  them,  to  bids 
and  praife  God  for  his  goodnefs  to  others, 
as  well  as  to  ourfelves.  The  exercife  of 
fuch  benevolence  and  good-will  in  us,  will 
be  doing  God's  will  on  earth,  as  it  is  done 
heaven  :  and  as  in  fuch  a  temper  we  ap- 
proach near  the  inhabitants  of  the  heavenly 
world  ;  fo  we  fhall  be  fharers  with  them 
in  their  happinefs,  and  partakers  with 
them  in  their  joys. 

Singing  praiies  to  God,  was  not  defigned 
to  be  the  employment  of  angels  only,  but 
is  a  duty  alfo  incumbent  upon  man.  God 
has  given  him  a  voice,  and  the  faculty  of 
fpeech,  which  he  is  bound  to  employ  in 
praifing  and  glorifying  his  Maker  :  Hence 
it  is,  that  God  'has  made  Jtnging  a  part  of 
his  worfhip  ;  and  he  experts  and  requires 
of  every  one,  that  they  worfhip  him  in  that 
Way,  according  to  their  ability  and  the 
capacity  God  has  given  them.  We  mud 
"  enter  into  his  gates  with  thanklgiving, 
and  into  his  courts  with  praife  "  And  we 
are  commanded  to  Jing  unto  the  Lord  with 
the  voice  of  z  TJalm  f  ;  and  often,  to  praife 

hiax 


r*5  y 

him'  with'  dur  voices,  and  to  /%•  praifes 
Onto  -Him.  Altho'  finging  be  a  token  of 
joy,  it  is  neverthelefs  a  dutyineumbenton 
us  at  all  times  ;  for  we  are  commanded  to 
*'  rejoice  eV-effp$f$/'  an<^  to  "  rejoice  m 
the  Lord  at  all  times" ;  nor  can  our  cir- 
cumllances  be  fo  aifiiftive,  but  that  we  have 
occafion  of  finging  praife  to  God  :  For  how 
dilf relli-iig  foever  our  effate  may  be,  yet 
there  are  many  favors  and  mercies  (hewn 
to  us  which  demand  our  praifes.  And  the 
pious  Pfalmift  refolves,  *  I  will  fing  of  mer- 
cy and  of  judgment,  unto  thee  O  Lord 
will  I  fing. 

Singing  praifes  to  God  was  a  very  fublime 
and  folemn  part  of  pubhek  worfhip,  under 
the  Old-Teitarnent  difpenfation :  And  our 
Savior  has  recommended  it  to  all  cbriftians 
by  his  own  example,  who,  we  find  "  (ling: 
an  hymn,"  after  he  had  inftituted  the  facra^ 
invent  of  the  Lord's  fupper.  And  God  has 
been  pleafed  to  teftify  his  acceptance  and 
approbation  of  this  part  of  his  worfhip  un- 
der the  Ncw-Teitament  difpenfation,  by- 
miraculous  operations  in  favor  of  thofe  that 
were  ennaged  in  this  duty.  When  Paul 
and  Silas  were  caft-  into  prifon — "  at  mid- 
night they  prayed  and  fang  praifes  unto- 
God  i  and  he  teitified  his  acceptance  of 
;heir-  w-orfliip,  by  caufing  a  great  earthquake 

which 

ft  Pialw  ci.  x. 


C    i*   ) 

which  (hook  the  foundations  of  the  prifdn, 
opened  the  doors,  and  loofed  the  bands  of 
the  prifoners  f.  And  this  very  inftancef 
one  would  think  fhould  be  enough  to  filencc 
all  objedors,  and  convince  every  one  that 
finging  is  an  acceptable  duty  to  God  ; 
other  wife  He  would  never  have  given  fuch 
an  evidence  of  his  being  well-pleafed  with 
it.  Moreover,  the  apoftles  of  our  Lord 
frequently  enjoin  it  upon  chriltians  as  an 
incumbent  duty,  to  "  teach  and  admonifh 
one  another,  in  pfalms>  hymns  and  fpiritual 
/ongsy  finging  with  grace  in  their  hearts  to 
the  Lord.  " 

Thus  you  fee  that  this  duty  is  in  itfelf 
reafonable  and  fit :  Tt  is  highly  proper  that 
God  fhould  be  praifed  by  all  his  reafonable 
creatures ;  and  when  they  have  a  voice 
and  capacity  for  it,  they  are  under  moral 
obligations  to  perform  it.  And  we  cannot 
fuppofe,  but  that  the  negleft  of  it  in  fuch  as 
might  perform  it  gracefully  and  acceptably 
(if  they  took  due  pains)  is  a  criminal  omifli- 
on.  Ir  is  a  duty  recommended  to  us  by 
the  greateft  examples,  and  enjoined  by  the 
greateft  Authority.  We  have  the  example 
of  the  holy  angels,  who  were  early  engaged 
in  this  heavenly  work — -we  have  the  exam- 
ple of  the  Old-Teftament  Church— of  Chrift 
and  his  apoitles— as  well  as  many  exprefe 

precepts 

t  Afls  16. 


(     17    ) 

precepts  to  enforce  it  upon  us.    Nay,  There 
is  fcarce  a  book  in  all  the  fcriptufes,  but 
what  recommends  this  as  a  duty  incumbent 
on  us :  And  good  men  in  all  ages   of  the 
Church,  have  taken  pains  to  promote  it- 
It  may  be  added,  "  from  the  experience 
"  of  many  good  Authors,  that  where  pfal- 
11  mody  is  maft  ufcd*    thofe  churches  are 
"  generally  the  moft  filled  :— It  has  a  greac 
"  influence  upon  the  minds  of  moft  people, 
"  efpecially  youth,    &nd  keeps   them  from 
"  many  vices  on    the  Lord's-day,    and  at 
"  other  times,    which  were  it  not   for  the 
"  charms  of  mufick,    they  would  readily 
"  run  into."     God  is  daily  communicating 
his  mercy j    benefits,   and   grace  unto  us  ; 
and  we  are  bound  to  bring  unto  Him  our 
tribute  of  praife  and   thankfgiving  :  And 
M  to  fing  praifes,  is  by  Him  accepted,  as 
"  the  higheft  part  of  divine  wor(hip,.and  in  it 
"  we  approach  the  neareft  to  the  worfhip 
"  of  the  heavenly  hofts."    Prayer,  indeed, 
is  a  great  duty,  and  fitted  to  a  flate  of  trial 
and  probation :  But  when  that  ftate  is  over, 
prayer  will   ceafe  ;   but  finging  of  God's 
praifes    never  will.     It  will   be   the   main 
Employment  of  men,  as  well  as  of [angels,  as 
foon  as  we  get  to  heaven.     Therefore,  as 
the   Apoftle   f   prefers  Charity,  before   all 
other    chriftain    graces,    becaufe   it   never 
B  faileth  i 

+  x  Cor.  xiii. 


(     i8     ) 

faileth  ;  fo  may  we  prefer  Jinging  before  alt 
other  chriftian  duties,  becaufe  ic  will  never 
be  laid  afide — a  whole  eternity  will  be  em- 
ployed in  finging  anthems  of  praife  to  God 
and  to  the  Lamb, 

Thus  much  with  regard  to  the  Duty  of 
finging.  I  proceed, 

II.  To  fay  fomething  of  the  manner,  m 
which  it  ought  to  be  performed. — And 
here  the  example  of  the  Angels  is  for  our 
imitation — the  morning  ftars  fang  together. 

This  implies, 

I.  Their  union  and  agreement  among  them- 
felves,  to  offer  up  their  praifes  to  God. 
They  did  not  fing  as  fcattered  individuals, 
here  one,  and  there  another  ;  but  combined 
together,  anti  fang  in  concert.  It  adds 
much  to  rhe  beauty  of  mufick,  and  makes 
it  moll  melodious,  to  have  the  united  voices 
of  a  multitude,  harmonizing  together  in 
the  long.  God  has  made  men,  as  well  as 
angels,  friable  creatures,  and  he  expedh 
and  requires  that  they  unite  together  in  of- 
fering up  their  praifes  to  Him  :  And  as  it 
is  good  for  them  to  dwell*  fo  to  fing  together 
in  unity.     And  we  fhould  all  be  united  in 

our 


(     19    ) 

bur  hearts,  in  this  pare  of  his  wbrfhip  ;  and 
&s  many  of  us  as  can,  fhould  unite  our  voices, 
that  with  one  heart  and  with  one  voice, 
tve  may  glorify  God. 

Indeed,  it  is  not  every  one,  let  him  take 
never  fo  much  pains  with  himfelf,  that  can 
modulate  his  toice  fo  as  to  be  able  to  fing 
iri  concert  with  others.  Every  one  has  his 
proper  gift  of  God  i  Aridjome  have  a  talent 
this  way,  ethers  have  net.  But  it  is  to  be 
feared  that  many  that  have  a  talent  for  fing- 
ing,  improve  it  not  ;  but  let  it  lie  by  wholly 
negledled.  Such,  will  haV6  but  a  poor  ac- 
count to  give  of  themfelves  when  an  en* 
cjuiry  is  made;  how  they  have  improved 
the  talents  committed  to  them,  for  their 
Lord's  glory.  But  where  there  is  the  want 
Of  a  talent,  there  fhould  be  no  want  of  a 
difpofition  arid  good-will  that  God  fliould 
be  worfhipped  in  this  manner.  They  fhould 
hot  look  upon  it*  as  an  indifferent  and 
needlefs  thing  for  men  to  learn  to  fing  God's 
tiraifes  harmonidufly  ;  but  fliould  help  it 
forward  arid  do  all  they  can  to  encourage 
others,  iri  that^  which  they  have  not  an 
ability  for  themfelves ;  and  in  this  way,  fhev/ 
their  good- will  to  the  praifes  of  God  ;  and 
then  they  would  have  this  to  comfort  them, 
that  "  where  there  is  a  willing  mind  it  is 
accepted  according  to  what  a  man  hath, 
B  2  aiid 


(     *?      ) 

.and  not  according  to  what  he  hath  not."— 
Bur  the  conduct  oifome  in  the  world,  with 
regard  to  this  affair,  has  been  fuch  as  gives 
too  much  reafon  to  fufpect,  whether  they 
have  any  defire  that  God's  praifes  fhould 
be  fung  in  chriftian  affemblies,  or  not — 
or  at  leafl:,  they  are  no  fiiends  to  regu- 
lar, and  harmonious  fmging,  and  care 
not  in  how  barbarous  a  manner  this  part 
of  worfhip  is  performed  :  Hence  it  is  that 
they  oppofe  all  endeavors  to  retrieve  the 
credit  of  our  church-mufick,  and  refcue  it 
from  that  degeneracy  and  decay  into  which 
it  was  unhappily  fallen.  If  we  are  to  wor- 
ship God  at  all  in  this  way,  (as  I  hope  no  one 
■will  fcruple)  why  ihould  we  not  woifhip 
him  as  well  as  we  are  able  ?  And  why 
fhould  we  not  follow  on  towards  perfection 
in  this  divine  c/7,  as  well  as  in  any  other? 
If  we  fing  his  praifes  in  the  befl:  manner 
we  are  able,  after  our  greateft  improve- 
ment, we  do  not  do  it  too  well,  nor  even 
then,  in  a  manner  adequate  to  what  his 
perfections  demand — we  come  infinitely 
fhort  of  what  is  his  juft  due.  But  it  may 
be  fome  alleviation  of  our  forrow  that  we 
can  praife  Him  no  better,  to  confider,  that 
He  is,  in  a  more  perfect  manner  praifed  by 
the  angels  in  heaven.  It  certainly  concerns 
us  to  wifh  well  to  his  praifes,  and  do  all  we 

can 


(     ax     ) 

can  to  encourage  the  Tinging  of  them.— 
Let  us  all  be  united^  in  a  thing  fo  laudable-— 
a  matter  fo  interefting  to  Religion — to  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  credit  of  his  wor- 
fhip.  The  more  united  we  are,  the  better 
melody  fhall  we  make,both  in  our  hearts  and 
with  our  voices- — the  nearer  fhall  we  ap- 
proach to  the  worfhip  of  angels, and  the  more 
acceptable  to  God  will  our  praifes  be.     But 

2.  That  we  may  be  able  to  fing  together, 
it  is  necelTary  for  us  to  get  a  good  acquain- 
tance with  the  Rules  of  finging;  and  be 
able  to  diilinguiih  between  thofe  founds 
which  are  concordant  and  harmonious,  and 
thofe  which  are  difcordant  and  grating  to 
the   ear. 

In  the  doctrine  of  founds  (upon  which 
all  mufick  depends)  there  is  fomething  very 
myfterious  and  unaccountable.  Sounds, 
at  certain  intervals  or  diftances  from  each 
other,  mixing  together,  ftrike  the  ear  with 
an  agreablefenfation,  and  are  called  concords  ; 
at  certain  other  diltances,  they  are  harfh 
and  grating  to  the  ear,  and  are  called  difcords. 
Now  why  there  fhould  be  fuch  a  coalefcence 
of  founds  at  juft  fuch  diltances,  foas  to  make 
\t  grateful  to  the  ear,  and  at  other  intervals 
or  diftances  either  lefTer  or  greater  than  the 
former,  there  fhould  be  no  fuch  agreement, 
6  3  ana 


(  aa  ) 


a 


cc 


nhd  the  founds  when  made,  fhould  be  fo 
jarring  and  grating  ;  is  one  of  the  fecrets  of 
nature  not  i.nyeftigated  by  man.  That  it 
is  fo,  is  faft :  but  why  it  is  fo,  "  m.uft  be 
"  refolved  into  the  will,  power  and  good? 
"  nefs  of  the  great  Creator,  who  doubtlefs 
"  defigned  the  pleafing  harmony  and  me- 
lody of  founds,  to  fvveeten  and  heighten 
the pleafures  of  human  life,  and  to  alle- 
"  viate  and  difpel  its  cares."  #  But  this 
fhews  the  neceffity  of  certain  Rules  to  find 
out  the  dittances  of  founds,  and  adjuft  them 
in  fuch  a  manner  as  tq>  produce  melody. 
Were  all  founds,  at  whatever  diftances  from 
each  other,  equally  concordant  and  harmo- 
nious ;  I  fee  riot,  that  there  would  be  any 
occafion  for  the  intervention  of  any'  fixed 
rules  :  But  fince  it  is  not  fo,  it  is  absolutely 
jiecefTary  that  there  fhould  be  rules  for  the 
regulating  our  voices,  djftinguifhing  founds, 
and  raeafuring  notes.  Now,  is  it  poflible 
for  us  to  fing  together  harmonioufly,  unlefs 
we  are  regulated  by  fuch  rules  ?  It  is  cafy 
to  fee  what  diforder  and  confufion  it  would 
make  for  every  one,  without  regard  to  any 
rule,  to  fing  loud  or  low,  ftrong  or  weak, 
quick  or  flow,  jufl:  as  hepleafed.  Singing  in 
that  manner,  in  an  aiTcmbly,  would  be 
rather  like  the  yellings  of  Bedlam,  than  the 
^worfiiip    of  rational   men. 

God. 

9  Martin's  Philofonh,  Gram. 


(   n   ) 

God,  is  a  Godofcrder,  and  not  of  *  eonfttji- 
on  :  and  He  requires  rule  and  order  a&ong 
all  his  worfhippers,  and  in  every  part  of  his 
worfhip.  And  as  finging  is  a  part  of  his 
worfhip,  it  ought  to  be  performed  in  an 
orderly  ruleable  manner,  lb  that  different 
voices  may  go  together,  unite,  and  produce 
harmony  ;  which  never  can  be  in  finging, 
if  only  the  mere  dictates  of  uncultivated 
nature  be  followed.  The  rules  of  mufick, 
we  muft  acquaint  ourfelves  with,  if  we 
would  fing  together,  fo  as  to  make  melody 
to  the  Lord,  or  pleafe  ourfelves.  We  muft 
know  the  air  of  the  tune- — the  pitch  of  our 
voices, — and  the  length  of  our  notes ;  or  we 
cannot  fing  harmonious  and  concordant. 

The  Rules  of  mufick,  are  not  mere 
arbitrary  things,  depending  only  upon  the 
will  of  him  that  invents  them  ;  but  are 
founded  in  reafon,  nature,  and  the  order 
of  things  ;  infomuch  that  they  cannot  be 
otherwife  than  they  are,  and  produce  fuch. 
an  agreement  in  founds,  as  to  be  melodi- 
ous. And  therefore  that  finging  which  i$ 
moft  by  rule,  is  raoft  agreeable  and  fit,  in 
the  nature  of  things,  to  be  offered  to  God, 
and  for  that  reafon,  moft  acceptable  unto 
him. 

It  is  eafy  to  infer  from  hence  that  any 
cujlom  or   manner  of  finging,  practiced  it* 

B  4  the 


(    24    ) 

die  Churches,  that  is  contrary  to  the  rultes 
of  mufick,  fuch  pratlice  (unlefs  fome  grearer 
advantages  accrue  fome  other  way  by  it) 
muft  be  difagreeable  to  the  mind  and  will 
of  God.  If  God  is  a  God  of  order,  and  a 
lover  of  harmony— and  if  finging  by  rule  is 
the  mod  regular  and  harmonious  finging— • 
then  it  is  the  raoft  fit  and  proper,  thajt  fuch 
Ringing  fhould  be  offered  to  njm  ;  apd  we 
cannot  fuppofe  but  that  He  would  be  beft 
pleafed  with  it.  And  no  cuftom  of  finging 
that  infringes  upon  the  rules,  or  embarrafTes 
the  fong,  ought  to  be  tolerated  in  the 
Church,  unlefs  fome  greater  advantages  a- 
rife  by  fuch  a  cuftom  fome  other  way,  than 
•would  do,  t>y  attending  clofely  to  the  rules 
of  mufick. 

The  cuftom  of  reading  the  Pfalm,  line  by 
line,  as  it  is  fung,  is  objected  againft,  by 
the  greateft  mailers  of  fong,  as  a  violation 
of  the  rules  of  finging.  But  fo  great  are  the 
advantages  that  are  Vuppofed  to  accrue  by 
that  practice  another  way,  that  many  are 
loth  to  give  it  up  :  and  this  in  many  places 
caufes  great  heat  and  contention.  I  fhall 
not  think  it  amifs  at  this  time,  briefly  to 
confider  this  matter,  and  fhall  endeavour 
to  give  the  arguments  on  both  fides,  their 
due  weight,  that  we  ma3r  better  come  to 
the  knowledge  ofourowndutvin  this  affair, 

As 


(     25    ) 

As  to  matters  of  God's  worfhip,  we  have 
nothing  to  direft  us  therein  but  his  Word,— 
or  the  praflice  of  the  primitive  Churches,— 
or  the  expediency  and  fitnefs  of  things. — The 
Word  of  God  is  the  only  rule  of  conference; 
and  no  man  can  fay  tfyat  he  can't  in  con- 
science, comply  with  any  propofed  pra&ice, 
unlefs  he  can  fee  fomething  in  the  fcriptures 
.that  forbids  it :  He  may  plead  that  his  humour 
forbids  it,  but  he  can't  plead  conscience,  un- 
lefs he  finds  fomething  in  the  Bible,  that 
directs  him  in  the  cafe.  Now  the  Bible  no 
where  tells  us,  that  the  pfalrn  (hall  be  read, 
line  byline  when  wefing;  nor  is  any  thing 
there  faid,  that  implies  any  fuch  thing.  It 
is  well  known  to  all  that  have  looked  into 
antiquity,  and  what  was  the  cuflom  of  the 
Jewifh  Church,  that  they  never  pra&ifed 
reading  with  forging  :  Indeed  their  tunes 
were  fo  contrived,  that  they  would  not  ad- 
mit of  fuch  a  pradice  :  They  were  fome- 
thing like  our  Anthems,  f  muflcal  nctes 
were  fet  over  the  words  in  their  pfalm-books, 
which  directed  their  voices  as  they  pronoun- 
ced the  words  in  finging.  Chiift  and  his 
Apoftleswere  trained  up  in  this  manner  of 
finging,  and  were  able  to  fing  together,  as 
we  find  they  did,  at  the  inftitutiqn  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  They  did  not  form  a  new 
pale  of  mufick,  but  kept  to  that  which  was 
pracftifed  upon  in  the  Jewifh  Church, 

As 

-j-  See  Dr,WATTs*s  larger  Pref.  to  his  Verf,  of  the  Pfalms,  P.  17. 


(    26    ) 

As  to  the  primitive  chriftians,  we  find  not 
the  leaft  tittle  to  incline  us  to  think  that  read- 
ing with  Tinging,  was  ever  practifed  in  a 
fingle  inftance  by  them  ;  nor  the  leaft  men- 
tion of  any  fuch  officer  as  a  Reader  of  the 
pfalm  for  the  congregation,  when  finging  ; 
and  certainly  it  belonged  not  to  the  Deacons 
office,  any  more  than  to  the  office  of  any 
one  elfe, — and  yet  fome  of  the  writers  of 
thofe  times,  profefledly  give  an  account  of 
the  cufloms  and  frattices  of  chriftians  in  their 
publick  worfhip  ;  fo  that,  if  it  had  been  the 
cuftom  to  read  with  finging,  it  is  very  unac- 
countable that  they  ihould  fay  nothing  at 
all  about  it.  And  I  believe  I  may  fafely 
challenge  any  man  to  produce  a  fingle  in- 
ftance, of  thus  reading  with  finging  for 
about  fifteen  hundred  years  after  Chrift.— 
I  confefs  I  am  unable  to  give  a  particular 
account  how  the  practice  firft  came  to  take 
place  in  the  chriftian  churches :  But  the 
nioft  probable  conjecture  is  this.— When  a 
reformation  from  popery  took  place,  the 
pfalmody  in  the  church  of  Rome  was  fo  cor- 
rupted with  popifh  doctrines  and  fuperftitl- 
ons,  that  when  the  Reformers  broke  offfrorp 
her  communion,  they  left  their  pfalm-books 
behind  them  :  and  whenever  a  verfion  was 
publifhed  according  to  the  Trot 'eft ant  fcheme, 
fpecial  care  was  taken  by  the  Tcj>ef  to  fup- 

pref* 


<      W      ) 

prefs  all  fkch  tranflations  :  and  in  thofe 
countries  where  his  influence moft.extended, 
Very  few  fuch  pfalm-booits  could  be  procur- 
ed :  And  as  ignorance  with  them  vjas  the 
mother  of  devotion^  very  few  were  taught  to 
read,  and  fo  unable  to  make  ufe  of  pfalm- 
booksifthey  had  them.  So  that  the  chur- 
ches \yere  obliged  either  to  alter  the  manner 
of  their  finging/  or  many  of  them  lofe  the 
patter  of  the  fbng  •  For  which  reafon  it  is 
probable  they  firft  allowed  of  reading  with 
finging.  But  it  appears  that  this  practice 
never  took  place  m  moft  of  the  reformed 
Churches. 

The  pious  Dr.  Watts,  who  for  his 
many  fweet  and  heavenly  fongs,  and  fupe- 
rior  flail  in  finging,  may  fitly  be  called  the 
Britifi  David ;  in  his  larger  preface  to  his 
verfion  of  the  Pfalms,  fpeaking  of  other 
verfions  of  the  Pfalms  not  being  adapted  to 
the  ftate  of  the  chriftian  Church,  fays  thus 
upon  it,  f  that  "  it  renders  the  performance 
F1  of  pfalmody — -extremely  troublefome  irr 
"  thofe  aflemblies  where  the  Pfalm  is  fung 
"  without  reading  line  by  line,  which  yet 

V  is  beyond  all  exception  the  true  ft    andbefl 

V  method"     And  in  another  place  *  he  fays, 
— u  It  were  to  be  wifhed  that  all  Congre- 

V  gations  and  private  Families  would  fing 
Ji  as  they  do,  in  foreign  proteftant  coun- 

"  tries? 

t  P3ge  6*  *  Page  27. 


(     23     ) 

"  tries,  without  reading  line  by  line— many 
"  inconveniencies  will  always  attend  this 
"  unhappy  manner  of  Tinging."    Thus  he. 

Thus  thofe  who  are  in  favor  of  Tinging 
without  reading  plead — that  they  have  the 
example  of  God's  ancient  Church —  the 
practice  of  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  and  of 
the  chriftian  Church  for  fifteen  hundred 
years  together— that  reading,  is  a  violation 
of  the  rules  of  finging — interrupts  the  fong 
—hurts  the  melody  and  difappoints  them 
of  the  pleafure  of  the  mufick— that  in  a 
country  where  pfalm-books,  may  be  had  at 
fo  cheap  and  eafy  a  rate,  as  among  us,  it  is 
entirely  needlefs  to  have  itfo — -and  if  people 
would  provide  themfelves  with  books  (as 
they  ought  to  do)  they  would  better  takp 
the  fenfe,  and  fee  the  connexion  of  one  line 
andverfe,  with  another,  than  they  poffibly 
can  do  by  hearing  ijt  read  line  by  line — all 
might  better  underftand  the  matter  of  the 
fong,  and  no  interruption  given  to  the 
manner  of  it. 

But  on  the  other  fide  it  is  plead — That 
many  people  are  poor,  and  unable  to  pur- 
chafe  pfalm-books— that  others  are  old,  and 
unable  to  fee  to  read  if  they  had  them — that 
there  are  many  young  people  and  others, 
that  can't  fo  well  read,  and  they  would  take 

the 


(  **  )  , 

the  Ccnk  much  better  to  have  it  read  line  by 
line:  They  plead  alfo — that  it  has  always  been 
the  pra&ice  of  our  Fore-fathers  in  this  Land 
— and  that  this  finging  without  reading,  is 
a  new-found  invention  of  Man— that  it  dis- 
turbs the  peace  of  Churches  and  Societies, — - 
and  (thofe  that  know  no  better,  will  fay- 
that  it)  is  a  leading  ftep  toTopety  ;  and  that 
if  they  once  begin  to  let  in  new  things  they 
know  not  where  they  fhall  flop, — .and 
that  fince  they  have  reafon  to  believe  that 
God  has  heard  the  prayers,  and  accepted 
the  praifes  of  his  people  in  this  land,  when 
they  have  worfhipped  Him  in  the  manner 
they  now  do, — and  fince  alfo,  they  cannot 
fee  thzireading  does  give  fuch  an  interruption 
to  regular  finging  as  is  pretended  ; — they 
can't  fee  their  way  clear  to  encourage  the 
practice  of  finging  without  itv — -It  is  what 
they  never  heard  of  till  of  late,  and  they 
don't  love  to  be  given  to  change. — Thefe 
are  their  main  objections. —  Let  us  con- 
fider  them,  and  fee  what  can  be  faid  in 
anfwer  to  them. 

As  to  peoples  being  poor,  and  unable  to 
purchafe  pfalm-books  ;  there  are  enough 
that  will  engage  to  give  to  fuch  as  are  not 
able  to  buy  for  themlelves  :  So  that  this  ob- 
jection, is  quickly  anfwered. 

As 


(     3°     ) 

.       . 

As  for  thofe  that  cannot  fee  to  r£ad,  or 
cannot    read  if  they    could   fee  ;  doubtfefs' 
reading  line  by  line  may  be  fome  advantage 
to  them  :  but  I  prefume  the  number  of  fuch; 
is  very  fmall,— and  there    may  be   others 
that  are  deaf,  and  cannot  hear,  if  it  is  read; 
and  yet  becaufe  it  is  not  cuitomary  to  carry 
pfalm-books  to  publick  worfhip,  they  neg- 
lect it,  for  fear  oi  being  looked  upon  as  An- 
gular, and  making  their  infirmity  to  be  taken 
notice  of  by  the  affembly  :  Whereas  if  it 
had  been   cuftomary  to  carry  books  j  (as   it 
would    have   been,  if  there    had  been  ho 
reading)  they  would  have  done  it,  and   fo 
would  always  have  been  able  to  have  taken 
the  fenfe  of  the  pfalm  as  it  was  fang.     But 
further — confidering  the  difadvantages  that 
attend  finging  wirh  reading*   it  may  juftly 
be  queftioned,  whether  for   the  fake  of  a 
very  few  old  people  and  perfons  that  cstri- 
not    read,  congregations  are  in  duty  bound 
to  tolerate  that  pradice  :  We  know  of  no 
fuch  provifion  that  was  made  for  their  in- 
firmities,  either  in   God's  ancient  Church, 
or  by  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  or  by  any  of 
the  primitive  Churches  :  And  if  they  did  it 
not,  it  wiil  be  hard  to  prove  that  we  are  in 
duty  bound  to  do  it.     I  would  condefcend 
as  far  for  the  fake  of  fuch,  as  is  any  way 
reafonable  or  convenient,  but  to  do  it  at  the 

expence 


(     31     ) 

expence  of  the  regular  performance  of  that 
part  of  worlhip,  and  to  the  difad vantage 
of  fo  many  others,  is  what  I  cannot  fee 
fufficient  reafon  for.  Befides,  when  once 
thofe  perfons  become  better  acquainted 
with  the  method,  they  will  by  the  help  of 
hearing  the  Pfalm  once  read  over  by  the 
minifter,  and  attending  to  the  fingers  as  it  is 
fung,  (if  they  fpeak  the  words  as  diftin&ly 
and  plainly  as  they  can,  which  they  fhould 
be  careful  to  do)  I  fay  fuch  perfons,  and 
indeed  all  the  congregation  may  under- 
stand the  moll  that  is  fung.  So  that  read- 
ing with  finging  will  be  but  of  very  little,  if 
any  advantage  upon  this   account. 

As  to  the  plea  that  it  has  been  the  uni- 
verfal  praftice  of  oux  Fore -fathers  in  this  land, 
and  that  to  fing  without  reading,  is  a  new- 
found invention  of  men  ;  this  is  wholly  a  mif- 
take. — Mr. Ma t h  e r,  in  hisRatioDifciplint, 
a  book  published  above  fifty  years  ago,  tells 
us  "  that  fome  congregations  where  they 
had  pfalm-books,fung  without  reading"  and 
it  is  well  known  by  thofe  that  have  made 
due  enquiry,  that  it  was  never  pra&ifed  in 
fome  of  the  oldefl  Churches  in  this  land ;  and 
and  it  is  fo  far  from  being  a  new  invention,, 
that  it  is  as  o/^asChriflianity  itfelf,  and  was 
the  method  pra&ifed  by  our  Savior  and  his 
Apoftles :  So  that  when  we  plead  for  it, 

we 


(    3*     ) 

we  aik  for  no  more,  than  what  was  the 
good  old  way — and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  all 
that  are  lovers  of  that  way,  will  readily 
join  with  us. 

As  for  its  making  dtflurbances  in  the 
Church — It  is  generally  obferved  that  thofe 
that  are  moft  difturbed,  are  commonly 
fuch  as  know  the  leaft  of  the  matter.  There 
is  no  reformation  that  is  ever  fet  on  foot, 
even  tho'  it  be  from  fuch  grofs  corruptions 
as  Idolatry  itfelf,  but  what  will  caufediftur- 
bances,  and  breed  contention.  The  igno^ 
ranee  of  fome,  the  prejudice  of  others,  and 
the  wilfulnefs  of  more,  will  always  raife 
oppofition :  And  what  !  becaufe  of  this 
(hall  we  never  attempt  to  reform  ?  we  were 
unworthy  the  name  of  Chriftians  if  we  did 
not.  Indeed  in  matters  of  little  or  no  con* 
fequence,  it  is  not  worth  while  to  difturb 
the  peace  of  focieties  about  them  :  And 
whether  the  thing  now  pleaded  for,  is 
worth  contending  about,  I  wiil  not  determine. 
—I  hope  none  are  for  driving  matters  to 
extremity,  or  making  fuch  a  point  of  it,  as 
to  difturb  the  peace  of  the  fociety  : — But 
then,  one  way,  or  the  other  may  be  moft 
agreable  to  the  body  of  the  people,  and 
moft  acceptable  to  God  ;  and  it  cannot  be 
amils  to  confider  what  may  be  faid  on  both 
£des  of  the  queftion  i  And  l  hope  that  every 

one 


(     33     ) 

bhe  will  judge  for  hhnfelf^  and  aft  upon 
that  fide  where  he  fees  the  greateft  light. 

As  to  its  being  a  leading  flep  to  pperj, 
and  an  inlet  to  innovations  ;  there  is  not  the 
lead  foundation,  for  fuch  an  aflertion  :  This 
is  only  the  "Bug-bear  of  folly,"  and  an  out- 
try  to  difturb  the  minds  of  others.  For  what 
fort  of  connexion  can  any  one  fee,  between 
finging  without  reading,  and  popery  ? 
They  may  as  well  fay  that  the  practice  of 
primitive  chriftianity  led  to  popery.  And 
if  it  is  really  a  reformation  in  bur  worfhip, 
to  fing  without  reading,  and  a  coming 
nearer  to  the  practice  of  primitive  chriftiansj 
we  ought  to  rejoice  in  it,  and  be  glad  of 
fuch  innovations   every  day. 

Doubtlefs  God  has  heard  the  prayers, 
and  accepted  the  praifeS  of  his  people  in 
this  land,  tho'  they  havd  not  fung  in  the 
manner  that  is  now  pleaded  for.  It  is  not 
every  irregular  practice  in  his  vVorfhip  that 
will  caufe  Him  who  is  fo  infinite  in  mercy, 
and  feady  to  pardon  to  rejeft  the  prayers 
and  praifes  of  his  worfhippers.  But  altho' 
He  has  accepted  the  praifes  of  his  people 
when  performed  in  a  lefs  fuitable  manner, 
it  will  not  from  thence  follow,  that  they 
would  not  have  been  more  acceptable,  if 
they  had  been  performed  in  a  different 
manner :  And  therefore  it  can  be  no  plea 

C  for 


(     34     ) 

for  continuing  that  practice.  Tho'  the  .pray- 
ers and  praifes  of  a  perfon  not  perfe&ly 
fandtified,  may  be  acceptable  to  God  \  yet 
it  would  be  very  wicked  for  the  perfon  to 
fay— that  therefore,  he  will  not  prefs  for- 
ward towards  greater  perfection  ;  for  cer- 
tainly the  nearer  he  gets  to  perfection,  the 
better  he  performs  his  duty,  and  the  more 
acceptably    to  God. 

Thefe  are  the  main  pleas  that  are  made 
in  favor  of  the  prefent  cuilomary  way  of 
finging' — you  yourf elves,  \  are  to  judge  of 
the  force  of  them,  and  of  the  anfwers 
given  to  them. 

Whether  reading  is  a&ually  an  inter- 
ruption in  finging — every  one  that  has  any 
tolerable  acquaintance  with  the  rules  of 
finging,  cannot  but  fee  that  it  is.  The  like 
practice  in  any  other  part  of  divine  wor- 
fhip,  would  be  judged,  I  believe,  as  a  great 
interruption.  Should  a  line  of  Prayer  be 
read,  and  then  prayed  over,  and  fo  on — 
no  one,  I  prefume  would  deny  but  that 
reading  in  that  manner,  was  an  interruption 
to  praying  :  and  I  fee  not,  but  it  is  as  much 
Jo  in  finging — in  both  cafes  the  fong  and 
the  prayer,  are  equally  interrupted  by  the 
reading. 

But  fome  may  fay  that  they  fhould  notfo 
ftrongly  obje&againft  ihcpraftke  of  finging 

without 


(   $s   ) 

without  reading,  if  it  was  not  for  the  con* 
tinning  the  Bafs  and  Treble  between  the 
Lilies,  but  this  is  fo  much  of  found  with- 
out fubftance,  and  founds  fo  odly  and  un- 
eouthly  to  them,  that  they  cannot  away 
with  it : — But  fuch  fhould  know  and  con- 
fider  that  this  continuing  has  its  advantages ; 
it  keeps  the  mufick  alive,  fteadies  the  tune, 
and  helps  the  better  to  ftrike  into  the  fame 
pitch  again — and  therefore  ought  not  to 
be  found    fault    with. 

After  all  ;  whatever  the  advantages  are 
that  accrue  by  the  practice  of  reading  the 
Pfalm,  line  by  line  as  it  is  fung  ;  yet  the 
difadvantages  of  it  another  way  not  yet 
mentioned,  I  think,  are  mere  than  a  coun- 
ter-balance :  This  practice  prevents  many 
people  from  getting  T/alm-bookr,  which 
otherwife  they  would  do  :  And  for  want 
of  books  in  our  Families,,  neither  the  Heads 
of  families  nor  children  can  acquaint  them- 
felves  fufficiently  with  our  Tfalmody,  nor 
have  the  benefit  of  it  in  their  private  devo- 
tions ;  and  this,  among  chriltians,  is  a  cri- 
minal omiflion  ;  Our  Pfalm-books  are  as 
neceffary  in  their  place,  as  our  Bibles;  and 
it  is  what  is  enjoined  upon  chriflians  by  an 
infpired  Apoftle  f  to  teach  and  admonifh 
one  another,  in  Pfalms,  Hymns,  and  Spiri- 

C  %  ir^I 

f  Col.  iii.  iO. 


(   H  ) 

tual  Songs.  *  Now  how  we  can  comply 
with  this  duty,  and  never  have  pfalms  not 
hymns  in  our  houfes,  is  hard  to  conceive. 
JBefides,  children  and  young  People,at  their 
leifure  hours  would  take  delight  in  reading 
and  committing  many  of  them  to  memory, 
which  would  be  of  great  fervice  to  them 
in  future  life  :  But  for  the  want  of  them  in 
our  houfes,  they  are  deprived  of  this  pri- 
yiledge.  Now  fo  far  as  the  prefent  practice, 
is  an  inducement  to  People  to  negle&  pro- 
viding themfelves  with  books ;  fo  far  it  is 
hurtful  to  Religion* — and  their  not  having 
books,  infiead  of  being  urged  as  an  argu- 
ment for  continuing  the  practice  of  read- 
ing ;  it  is  (with  me)  one  of  the  greateft 
arguments  againft  it,  as  thereby  many  are 
induced  to  neglc6t  their  duty  in  this  affair,— 
But  with  regard  to  the  manner  of  finging. 

I  fhall  ojjly  add, 

T-g.  That  we  fhould'  carefully  attend  to 
tfot  matter  >  as    well   as  the  manner  of  the 

fong. 

•  Jfany  are  defirous  of  knowing  the  difference  between  Pfalnis, 
tlymns,  and  Spiritual  Songs  ;  I  (hall  give  it  them,  as  I  find 
them  diftingui#ied  in  Leigh's  Sacra  Critica.  Pfalms,  con- 
tain exhortation  to  manners,  or  holy  life.  tljtnnsy  contain 
praifes  to  God,  in  the  commemoration  of  his  Benefits. 
Spiritual  Songs,  contain  Doflrine  of  the  Chief  Good  or  Man's 
eternal  Felicity.  A  Pfalm  is  a  Ditty  to  be  play'd  Upon  an 
Instrument  j  an  Hymn  is  a  fong  to  be  uttered  with  ths 
voice  only  j'an  Ode  or  Song,  is  a  Ditty  fitted  for  either  way* 
See  Leigh  in  Vocibus. ' 


(     37.     ) 

ibng.  The  apoftolick  dircdion  is  to  Jiug 
with  grace  in  your  hearts  to  the  Lord  ;  And 
how  lkilfully  foever  we  may  ,  tune  our 
voices^  and  how  melodious  foever  our 
iinging  may  be  in  the  ears  of  others  ;  yet 
if  the  matcer  that  we  flag  is  neglected,  and 
there  is  no  fuitable  affe&ion  working  in 
our  hearts  towards  God — we  are  but  as 
"  founding  brafs,  and  a  tinkling  cymbal  ;" 
and  we  are  fo  far  from  making  melody  in  his 
ear,  that  our  fong  is  gratipg,  difoo.rdaiu. 
and  unharmonious  ;  becaufe,  tho'  with  our 
voices  we  praife  Him,  yet  our  hearts  are 
not  right  with  Him.  This  is  a  capital  point, 
and  ought  to  be  well  considered  ;  for  it  is 
the  very  Thing  that  renders  our  praifes  ac- 
ceptable unto  Him  :  And  in  vain  is  our 
finging  if  it  be  not  acceptable. — But  I  muft 
haften  to  a  word  of  adurefs. — Firft,  To  the 
lingers  in  this  congregation  in  particular  ; 
and  ffffHj  to  the  affembly  in  general — -and 
fo  conclude, 

Firft, — To  the   Singers. We  rejoice 

to  fee  that  under  the  good  Inltrudions 
which  you  have  lately  had,  in  fo  fliort  a 
time,  you  have  made  fo  great  proficiency 
—the  afliduity  and  diligence  with  which 
you  have  applied  yourfelves  to  this  laudable 
find  ufcful  it udy,  is  much  to  your  honor. 

We 


(     38     ) 

We  flatter  ourfelves,  that  what  we  now  fee 
of  your  talents  and   accornplilhments  for 
church  mufick,  is  but  a  faint  fpecimen  of 
what  your  further  improvements  will  bea- 
ble  to  prod uce — you  will  not  reft  at  thofe  mea- 
furescf  knowledge  to  which  you  have  alrea- 
dy attainedjbut  prefs forward  towards  greater 
perfe&ion  ;  you  would  do  well  to  keep  up 
your   meetings   for  this   purpofe — -but  be 
careful,  at  the  fame  time  that  you  do  not 
Jet  one  duty  infringe  upon  another  ;  nor 
purfue  finging  fo  as  to  neglefl   prayer,  or 
the   duties  of  your  particular  callings  ; — 
remember,  you  are  in  a  world  of  trouble 
and  temptation,  in  a  date  of  trial  and  pro- 
bation, where  fomething  elfe  is  to  be  done, 
as   well  as  finging  ;  it  is  only  in  Heaven 
that  this   is  to  be  our  main  employment- — • 
Obferve  fuch  a  decorum  in  thefe  things,  as 
that  your^ca^  may  not  be  evilfpoken  of. — - 
It  is  by^oa,  that  the  mcft  fublime  part  of 
publick  worfhip  is  to  be  performed — God 
is  honoring  you,  by  calling  of  you  to  dlf- 
charge  this  duty  :  In  a  fenfe  He  is  making 
of  you,  his  fpiritual  priefts,  to  offer  up,  in 
his  Church  the  fpiritual  Sacrifices  of  praife 
unto  Him  !  fee  then,  that  your  behavior  at 
all  times,  correfponds  with  fo  high  and  ho- 
norable a  chara&er. — Beware  of  every  fin- 
ful  thing — avoid  that   which  is  evil,  and 

purfue 


(     3?     ) 

purfue   that    which     is  goad  ;    defile  not 
yourfelvcs  with  any   finful  impurities,  left, 
God  have  no  refpeit  unto  your  offerings  : 
God  requires  fpiritual  facrifices  ;    and  that 
thofe  who  wprfhip  Him,  do  it  in  fpirit  and 
if  truth. — D^n't  let  it    be  altogether  your 
concern  to  have  your  voices  rightly  tuned, 
but  look  at  your  hearts  and   fee  that  they 
are  tuned  for  God's  worfhip  ;  fee  that  you 
make  melody  there  unto  Him.     If  you  do 
not  take  care  to  have  your  Hearts  right 
with  Him,  all  is  but:  a  hypocritical  oblati- 
on, which  is  an  abomination  unto  Him. — . 
Confider,  how  dreadful  your  cafe  will  be 
in  the  other  world,  if  after  you  have  fung 
God's    praifes,    in  fuch    melodious    drains 
with  your  voices  here^  you  fhould  be  for- 
ever rejeded  of  Him,  and  fent  to  howl  the 
doleful  notes  of  the  damned  in  hell.     The 
more  you  relifh  the  charms  of  mufick,  ttfe 
more   tormenting  will  it  be  to  you,  to  be 
forever  deprived  of  them — to  be  banifhed 
that  company,  who  fhali  be  forever  praifing 
God  in  the  molt  rapturous  (trains  of  melo- 
dy.—See  that  you  live  in  peace  with  each 
other — you  are  lovers  of  concord  and  har- 
mony ;  and   it  is  no   lefs  delightful   in  a 
mora\  than  it  is  in  a  pfufical  fenfe. — If  you 
meet  with   no   difcouragements  from   the 
Society,  (as  I  pray  God  you   may   not)  if 
that  part  of  divine  worfhip  is  not  well  per- 
formed 


(    4*    ) 

formed,  the  blame  will  lie  at  your  door. 
Be  very  careful  to  give  your  attendance 
upon  thepublick  worlhip— « remember,  you 
have  a  part  of  it  to  carry  on  yourfelves 
and  there — 

"  Rehearfe  his  Praife  with  Awe  profound; 

"  Let  Knowledge  lead  the  Song  ; 

"  Nor  mock  him  with  a  folemn  found 

"  Upon  a  thoughtlcfs- Tongue.   N 

The  Lord  be  with  yon,  and  blefs  .you. 

Secondly — To  the  AiTembly  in  general.— 
I  hope  there  is  none  of  us,  but  what  wifh 
well  to  God's  praifes,  and  rejoice  to  fee  the 
improvements  that  are  made  in  our  Church 
mufick — and  tho*  there  are  fome  of  us,  that 
have-not  a  talent  that  way,  yet  I  hope  all 
our  hearts  are  in  it  :  If  fo,  it  may  be  laid 
of  us,,  as  of  the  "  morning  ftars,"  t\\cyr  fang 
together.  Jf  God  has  given  to  any  of  us  a 
capacity  and  talent  for  finging  his  praifes, 
together  with  others,  and  yet  we  do  not 
improve  it,  but  let  it  reft  and  lie  by  neg- 
lected ;  we  are  undoubtedly  much  to  be 
blamed.  It  concerns  us  all  to  examine  our 
talents  this  way,  and  to  improve  them,  as 
we  find  God  has  given  us  ability.  We  are 
not  to  imagine  that  finging  regularly  is  a 
ufelefs  and  unnecefiary  aceomplifhment  ; 
God  has  given  to  men  voices,  and  a  capa- 
city fo.r  it,  and  requires  us  to  worfhip  him, 

by 


(    4i    ) 

by  joining  in  concert,  and  finging  harmoni- 
oufty.  Bat  if  we  can't  fing  ourfelves,  be- 
fure  we  mu(l  not  difcourage  this  work  ; 
fuch  as  do  it,  whatever  they  think  of  it  now, 
will  at  laft  be  found  fighting  agairift  God, 
and  oppofers  of  his  worfhip :  May  we  all 
be  directed  to  a<S  in  this,  and  in  alt  other 
affairs  to  his  Glory. 

To  conclude.  If  a  few  feeble  voices 
very  impcrfe&ly  tuned,  finging  in  concert 
here  below,  are  fo  melodious — then  what 
will  Heaven  be  ?  when  all  the  faints  on 
earth,  and  H  the  Spirits  of  the  Juft  made 
perfect,"  (hall  join  with  the  morning  ftars9 
finging  and  (fronting  forth  everlarting  praifes 
to  God  and  the  Lamb, — Cherubims  andSera- 
phims,  Men  and  Women,  fftall  all  fing  i#* 
gether  in  one  grand  Affembly,  and  with 
voices  perfectly  tuned,  (hall  carry  the  ref- 
pe&ive  parts  affigned  them, — O  !  how 
fweet  their  fong  !  and  how  charmed  rnuft 
our  fouls  be,  when  all  at  once  they  fir^e 
their  harmonious  notes,  and  raife  their  voi- 
ces in  lofty  (trains  of  melody  !— -  How  fub- 
Hme  and  folemn  the  mufick,  as*  it  refounds 
from  the  concave  of  the  third  Heavens,  and 
echoes  from  Pole  to  Pole. — May  we  all  be 
bro't,  not  only  tu  imagine,  but  tafte  the  plea- 
fure ;  and  with  the  morning  fiars.  fing  toge- 
ther— thro'  Jefus  Chrift   our  Lord. 

AMEN, 


&;-£ 


^H 


•""■*-, 


